Drifting in the breeze
by Scathach24
Summary: Shy, quiet Takara is placed on a team with a very big scary guy who she swears is part bear, a kid who won't stop coughing, and her enthusiastic (borderline insane) Habanero sensei. Things are about to get interesting. The summary sucks but hopefully the story is good. OC WARNING OC WARNING DON'T LIKE DON'T READ! (no pairings as of late) (T cause I'm paranoid)
1. my team scares me

Shy, quiet, Takara is placed on a team with a very big scary guy who she swears is part bear, a kid who possess a chronic cough, and her sensei who is known as the Red Hot Blooded Habanero of the Leaf. Things are about to get interesting.

* * *

I'm actually really nervous. I was told my team would consist of Ibiki Morino and Hayate Gekko. I was hoping I'd be with Obito. He's my best buddy and mouthpiece, for the most part.

Ibiki kinda scares me. He's just so freaking big for a twelve year old! And his voice makes it sound like he's already done with that part of puberty. I avoid eye contact with him.

I'm curious as to whats up with Hayate's throat and/or lungs. He keeps coughing into his fist. Suddenly his head turns to me. "I'm not going to die, you know. You can stop staring at me like that."

I 'eeped' a little and bowed my head "g-gomensai, Gekko-san"

Ibiki looks over from his psychology book. "Look we're a team now. Cut the suffix crap, 'kay?"

"gomensai" I said again. _FUCK_. I need Obito! He knows how to laugh this shit off and I clearly don't!

In order to escape, I pulled out my notebook and began to scribble ingredients for a poison I was working on. Ideally I would put it on senbon and target specific nerves and veins, but I wanted to make it into a gas too.

Really the poison is one of the only things I've got going for me as a shinobi. I'm not particularly strong, my taijutsu is sloppy at best, and you can forget genjutsu.

My chakra control is pretty good, and I mainly use senbon as projectiles, but poison is my forte.

"Yo!"

My head snaps up from my book. Standing in the door is a pretty lady with lots of red hair tied in a ponytail. She wears the standard Jounin attire and is grinning at us.

"My name is Kushina Uzumaki, 'ttebane!" she announced. "As of now, you will refer to me as Kushina-sensei. Lets go to the roof and introduce ourselves!"

She waited patiently for us as we gathered our things and followed her up the stairs. She plopped down cross-legged and we sat across from her.

"I'll start off with the introductions" Kushina said brightly. "My name is Kushina Uzumaki - but you knew that - I like salt ramen, chatting, corrupting Mikoto-chan's son, and cooking. I dislike bitter things, tomatoes, traitors, and bullies. My dream for the future is to continue to support Konoha. My hobbies are chatting, cooking, and gardening. Who's next, 'ttebane?"

Ibiki shrugged. "My name's Ibiki Morino. I like reading. I dislike people who think they understand but don't, books with repetitive information, and Maize. My dream for the future is to be a part of the torture and interrogation force. My hobbies are reading and suggestive interrogation."

Hayate coughed into his fist. "Hayate Gekko. I like kenjutsu, *cough* looking at the moon, and walks *cough* at night. I dislike chain smokers, cigarettes, and rust. My dream? Don't really have one as of late. My hobbies are *cough* kenjutsu and taking care of my swords"

They all looked at me and I realized it was my turn. "I-I'm Takara Sato. I like gardening, making poisons and antidotes, reading, writing, and my plants. Uh... I dislike kiss ups, back-stabbers, and stuck up people who look down on you just because you don't meet their ridiculously high standards." I said that part with venom thinking about Obito's uncle, Fugaku. I smoothed my dark brown hair. "My dream is to be a great medical ninja, as well as a poison mistress. My hobbies are making poison, taking care of my plants, and writing stories."

"Interesting group" Kushina said with an approving nod. "Well lets meet in the sixth training ground at five am tomorrow, 'ttebane? There is one more test before you officially become shinobi of Konoha. See you then!"

She Shunshined away in a cloud of smoke.

"I-it was nice to meet you" I said to my team before walking toward the stairs.

I walked to where Obito said to meet up. It's a little tree house we built in the woods behind the Uchiha compound when we were little. Sometimes he brings Itachi-chan up there.

I've got good chakra control so lately I run up the trunk and drop the ladder. Obito's probably in there already, seeing as the ladder is down.

I still walk up the trunk, its good practice. I find Obito sitting on the little rug I found in a junk shop, doodling absently.

"Hey, Obito-kun" I said dropping myself across from him.

"Yo, Taka-chan" Obito greets brightly. "How'd it go?"

"Fine." I replied. "Ibiki's kinda scary and Hayate coughs a lot. Kushina-sensei seems okay though."

"You got Habanero-san as a sensei?" Obito whistled. "Lucky. Don't get me wrong, Minato-sensei is pretty cool, but Kushina Uzumaki is...wow."

"She's really hyper" I giggled, knowing that Obito idolized her pranking abilities. "And she said she enjoys corrupting her friends kid."

"Ha!" Obito snorted. "I repeat, lucky! I got saddled with Bakashi"

I nodded sympathetically. Obito always ranted about how he felt overshadowed by the Hatake Prodigy. It really affected him. I knew that under the big goofy grin and carefree attitude, Obito could be really insecure.

He was constantly being put down by_ his own family _for not being good enough. It seemed they liked to rub in the fact he was the black sheep of the clan. It seems like most of them have sticks so far up their asses it's a miracle they can still walk. Obito has worked so hard for so long and they just shrug it off. It sickens me.

They can't see how good he really is.

Obito and I play a card game and gamble with jelly beans. I won, but shared my winnings.

* * *

there will be more coming, but the name is subject to change.

love ya!

-Scathach


	2. I poisoned my teammates (oops)

Okay originally Ibiki and Hayate's teammate was this kid Tokara. He's a boring stub. at first the story was supposed to be Hayate-centric, but then I added an OC to the mix.

kindly deal with that, loves.

* * *

Hayate was already in the training field when I arrived. He was sitting under a tree looking at birds flying across the sky.

"Ohayou" I greeted. He nodded in response. I took a seat a couple feet away. Then I took out a brush and a poison canister and began to coat senbon needles with the stuff.

"What's that?"

I shrieked at the sudden voice behind me and stabbed the needle into the source of the voice. I heard a grunt of pain and Ibiki fell forward, the senbon lodged in his arm.

"G-g-gomensai" I whispered, realizing what I'd done.

Hayate walked over. "Takara, did you just poison *cough* Ibiki?"

"I-it isn't l-lethal?" I offered. I dipped my head in shame "G-gomensai Morino-san"

Ibiki pulled the needle out of his arm, whipped the blood off with his shirt, then handed it to me. "I told you to quit it with the suffixes. What does it do anyway?"

"In about three to five minutes, you're arm will stop functioning..." I muttered. I dug through my bag and pulled out the antidote. "But it didn't hit the major artery so it would have been closer to twenty. Hold still."

I injected the liquid into his neck. He rubbed the spot. "Cool. How do you know weather it works or not?"

I rubbed the back of my head. "I test it on rats and snakes I find in the back of my apartment and in the woods.."

I got weird looks from both of my teammates. Hayate finally coughed and muttered "Okay then"

"heh" Ibiki said after a few seconds passed. He sat down.

Sensei arrived fifteen minutes later.

We stood at attention while she pulled two little bells out of her Flak Jacket. "The object of this exercise is to take these from me within the next two hours, 'ttebane." She clipped the bells to her belt. "This isn't going to work unless you come at me with the intent to kill, kay?"

We nodded solemnly.

"There are two bells and three of you." She said with a small smile. "Meaning whoever doesn't get a bell will be going back to the academy, 'ttebane."

My eyes snapped wide open and I could feel my heart beat in my throat. I made a small noise.

Kushina set the timer, and then the three of us proceeded to scatter.

* * *

I was maybe two minutes away from a full scale mental breakdown in my tree, when a big hand clamped over my mouth.

I turned my head slightly to see Ibiki and Hayate out of the corner of my eye. I slumped slightly in relief and he moved his hand.

"If we're going to get a bell we need to work together." Ibiki informed me. "a head on approach isn't going to work on Kushina-sensei. I just got my ass handed to me and so did Hayate. If any of us are going to get a bell we need to do it as a unit."

Hayate coughed into his fist. "We were thinking that if *cough* we could distract sensei, you could hit her with the same poison *cough* you used on Ibiki. From there we'll *cough* figure out who gets the bells and who is sent back. Sound like a plan?"

I nodded. This seemed like the only way I'd even have a shot of being a ninja.

* * *

I observed Ibiki running at Kushina-sensei with a kunai in each hand from one side, and Hayate coming at her with his katana from the other. She seemed to dance around Hayate's blade, before she fluidly ducked Ibiki's kunai.

Nows my chance! I jumped out of my tree and made a beeline for sensei. I wasn't confident enough in my aim to go from further away so I needed to get close if this was going to work.

I let six needles fly. Three hit each of her legs. I sighed in relief when I saw they'd hit where I aimed. The upper thighs, the calves, and the ankles. She grunted slightly at the impact.

I had explained to Hayate and Ibiki that as soon as the needles made contact, they were to do one thing. Make her move.

The more she moved the faster the poison would spread. I ran forward with my own kunai and joined them. They didn't disappoint.

A minute in Kushina-sensei's legs started to wobble. Then they gave out all together. Hayate, being the closest grabbed both bells and tossed them to me and Ibiki.

"Great job, you guys!" he called. I noticed the undertone of sadness in his voice. He coughed into his fist.

"Hayate." I walked forward and pushed my bell into his hand. "You deserve it more then me. Your the one who helped distract her. I wouldn't have been able to get close without you and Ibiki. I'll try again later, but for now, you and Ibiki deserve this more than me."

"Bullshit!" Ibiki exclaimed. "Your the one who incapacitated sensei! You can have mine."

I could tell everyone there (including me) were about ready to get into a full scale fight over who _didn't_ get the bells. What the actual hell?

"Guys!" Kushina-sensei called pulling the needles out. She army-crawled forward. "That was brilliant, 'ttebane! You all pass!"

"come again?" Ibiki asked.

Kushina pushed herself up onto her elbows. "It was about teamwork. I needed to see if you three could work together and get the bells. You pass, ttebane!"

I let out a shaky laugh of relief.

"Now can you please fix me, ttebane?" Kushina-sensei said in an annoyed voice.

"Right!" I pulled the antidote from my pouch and carefully injected her. I made a point to rotate her ankles for her and periodically rub the veins to make sure it traveled faster.

"Your all going to be a great team, ttebane!" she exclaimed.

I smiled brightly at that.

* * *

So you think you can ninja?

not sorry.

tune in next time!

-Scathach


	3. I forgot my birthday

Obito and his fucking flashback no jutsu's... I swear...

* * *

I set down the framed picture of my team on my dresser. Ibiki was smirking, Hayate was wearing a slightly crooked grin, Kushina-sensei had her arms around their shoulders and had set her chin on the top of my head. I was smiling in the picture.

Obito was waiting outside my apartment building. "Taka-chan!" He yells hugging me so hard I leave the ground. "Happy birthday!"

Oh right, its February twenty seventh. I'm thirteen. I smile at Obito when he puts me down. "Thanks, Obito. I completely forgot."

Obito gasped dramatically. "How could you!"

"I've been busy today" I mutter sheepishly.

He shakes my shoulders "No excuses! We're going out for dango, like now!"

Obito then takes my hand and drags me toward the dumpling shop. I laugh and walk along with him, swinging our hands together in sync.

I love Obito. He's just a good guy. He knows how shy and socially awkward I am, but he doesn't condemn me for it. He's patient and understanding. He'll even defend me. That's actually how we became friends.

* * *

_** *flashback no jutsu***_

* * *

_I am being teased, again. _

_Some of the older boys are pulling on my hair and kicking dirt at me. They say it's because I'm a stuck up jerk. I am not stuck up! I don't talk much, not because I think I'm better than anyone else, I don't talk much because I'm afraid to say the wrong thing._

_Is that so hard to understand?_

_"Oi, knock it off, ass hats!" a prepubescent voice shouts._

_I look up at the speaker. He's in my class. His name's Obito Uchiha and he's the class clown. I know he hardly takes anything seriously and I wonder why he's here. And why is he bothering to defend me of all people. Last I checked _no one_ likes me. I'm just the weird little dork who doesn't speak much. That's how they see me._

_"And what will you do if we don't?" One of the bigger kids sneers._

_He makes a hand sign, then another, and another, and a few more... Oh shit! That's usually for a katon jutsu! Is this kid serious?!_

_"Katon: Gokakyu no jutsu!" _

_What the hell?! He can't seriously do that, can he? I dive out of range as fast as I can just in case. He_ is _an Uchiha._

_But its not necessary. The only thing that comes out of his mouth his a puff of smoke and some embers. _

_The older boys proceed to beat the crap out of him. I try to help Obito but get a kick to the face so hard my lip splits open so badly the blood actually spurts out. They finish up and then walk away laughing to themselves. _

_I crawl over to Obito, who's unconscious on the floor. I use my water bottle to dampen my old scarf and clean up the cuts until he opens his eyes. _

_"Gomensai..." I whisper over and over as I clean up the blood. _

_He sits up and pulls a cloth out of his pocket and wipes the blood off my chin before he holds it to my split lip. "Stop apologizing. One day I'm going to be Hokage and looking out for people is just part of the job"_

_I nod feebly and look down, still feeling the guilt._

_"What's your name again?" he asks. _

_I start to cry. Not because I'm sad, but because with that one little question, he revealed that he defended me even though he didn't even know me! I think that might be the sweetest thing ever._

_"It's Takara"_

_I see that his goggles cracked and resolve to get him another pair as a thank you. _

_I bow my head in his direction. "Thank you, Uchiha-san"_

_He pokes my head. "Call me Obito, kay?"_

_The next day I used some of the money I save in a sock under my bed to buy him new goggles. He's so happy to see them he knocks me over in a hug._

_And that's how our friendship started._

* * *

_***end flashback***_

* * *

Obito grinned and pulled something out of his pocket once we got our dango. It was a small wrapped box tied up in a light purple ribbon.

"Obito..." I whispered when I opened it. "Did you do this?"

It's a tiny wooden bird in flight. It's attached to a thin black rope forming a necklace. It's really good.

"mhm" he hummed holding up his hands. The fingertips were covered in bandages. "Lesson learned: A kunai is not meant for carving detail into wood. But hell, the blood washed off and it looks decent, so not a total waste"

"Thank you" I said walking around the table and hugging him.

He patted my head. "No problem, Takara!"

* * *

Obito you sweet little shit.

Yes I based that around when Naruto helped Hinata. Deal with it.

TTFN

(ta ta for now!)

-Scathach


	4. My how and why

So far we'd been Team Kushina for a month and had dealt with nothing but D-ranks. Boring, irksome D-ranks.

At some point it was asked. The question I'd been mentally preparing my self for.

"So how'd you learn about the poison stuff?" Kushina asks, swinging her legs from her spot above us in the tree.

But the 'how' and 'why' in regards to that question are a packaged deal. And I'm not fond of 'why'.

"I started reading about it when I was five." I speared a crumpled can with the stick thingy and dropped it into the container on my back. "My Tou-san was poisoned to death."

Three sets of eyes locked onto different parts of my head.

"He was on a mission near Suna, and Akasuna no Sasori got a hold of his squad." I muttered, I felt oddly detached from my words, like someone else was doing the talking and I was just listening. "he's a renowned puppet master and poison user. I don't know what he used but it took a day and a half to bring Tou-san home, and another day and a half to die. It wasn't good. He suffered a lot, and I could do nothing but watch.

"You'd be amazed at how many books on herbs we have in the village." I said quietly. The inside of my throat felt sticky and my eyes were moist. "For a while it was a bit of a morbid fascination, I guess." my cheeks were getting wet. "Maybe if I'd been a little older and knew things I know now, I could have helped him. I wouldn't have those images in my mind... But I found I was good at making them and they fit with my style. So I stuck with it."

I wiped at my face, not even bothering to come up with an excuse. Hayate put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed gently, not saying anything.

I was grateful.

* * *

We finally got a C-rank! And the best part is it's a joint mission with Obito's team!

I could have glomped Hokage-sama.

It's a supply mission, but what ever. We're going to be carrying a lot of ration bars to our troops stationed near the Suna boarder.

So here we are, Kushina-sensei going over details with Minato-sensei. Rin is chatting with Hayate, Ibiki is reading, I'm writing in my book, and Kakashi is...brooding.

Heh.

"Were the hell is Obito?" Kakashi snapped. "We could already be out there."

I finish jotting something down and looked up at him. "He's probably helping an old lady with her bags or something. He's just like that"

"Guys!" Obito yelled running toward us. "I'm sorry I'm late but their was this old man with a cane and he needed help bringing a box of fruit to his nephew's house and-"

"Cut the crap!" Kakashi snapped. I bristled slightly.

"Now, now you two..." Minato placated. "Let's head out shall we?"

"You going to be okay, right?" Ibiki asked as we were leaping through the trees. "If fighting breaks out there will probably be puppeteers involved. Would that trigger you or anything?"

Good question.

"I'll be careful" I murmur. "Thanks Ibiki-kun"

He smiles at me.

We continue to make our way. The ration bars are sealed in storage scrolls, so weight isn't an issue. Still it's nice when we get to stop for the night.

At some point Obito crawls over and plops his head in my lap. I absently pet his spiky black hair and pull out leaves.

"Are you and Obito together?" Rin asks innocently.

Obito grins over at her but doesn't move his head. "She wishes, right Taka-chan?"

"In your dreams" I give one of his black spikes a yank and he yelps slightly. I giggle and kiss the top of his head. Soon I wiggle into my sleeping bag with Obito's right next to me.

* * *

_I'm only five. I bounce toward the village gates, because I need to ask the chunin on gaurd duty when my Tou-san and his squad are coming home._

_My father raised me, and in my eyes the man is golden. He tells me how one day I'll be a great ninja like him and my Kaa-san that I never knew. _

_I'm short so my eyes just barely make it over the counter of the guards booth. I stand and wait patiently for the two of them to notice me. _

_"ne, Shinobi-san, do you know when Hiroko Sato and his team are coming home?" I ask. _

_Whispers are exchanged. _

_One of them looks down at me. "Sweety, what's your relationship with Sato-san?"_

_I blink owlishly up at them "I'm his daughter. When's he coming back?"_

_More whispering. Why don't they stop? Can't they see that I'm still here?_

_The man who called me 'sweety' walks out from around the counter and escorts me to the Hokage's office. I like Sandaime-sama, he's a nice man and he's a good Hokage too, but why are they taking me to see him?_

_The chunin sits with me while we wait for the Hokage to finish up with his meeting. When that's done I walk inside and bow formally to our leader. _

_"She's the kid of the squad leader they just brought back." The chunin said curtly. "We- well we're not sure how to proceed sir."_

_Wait. Brought back?_

_"I will handle this." The Hokage says standing up and making his way over. He lifts me up and we shunshin away. _

_We're at the hospital. Why are we at the hospital?!_

_He leads me down the hall marked 'INTENSIVE CARE UNIT'_

_I then hear screams. My tou-san's screams. I run down the hall._

* * *

I wake up in a cold sweat, panting. Obito isn't in his sleeping bag any more. He's zipped himself into mine. I feel his arms wrapped around me securely.

"Nightmare?" he questions softly. I dig my head into his shoulder and nod. "Your tou-san?" another nod.

He hugs me tighter, and makes a point to be there until I fall asleep.

First nightmares, what next? I just really hope I don't have a freak out of some kind. I like Ibiki, Hayate, and Kushina-sensei. I don't want to be a hinderance.

The thought of not being good enough and them suffering because of that is almost as scary as the image of my Tou-san writhing in the hospital bed.

So I won't let that happen. I can't.

* * *

Back-story bullshit, am I right? Wheeeee

-Scathach


	5. Suna nin's freak the hell outa me

**Cameo's. Cameo's everywhere...**

**you'll see what I mean ;)**

* * *

Ibiki was right about the puppeteers.

But there was only one person wielding the puppet jutsu I had read about. The other guy was throwing kunai and a couple of wind jutsu in our direction. Then there was a girl with a big ass fan. She looked a lot like the kid with the puppets, so they might have been related. All of them were in their late teens.

Ibiki, Hayate, Kakashi, and I were acting as a diversion against these three while Team Minato and sensei made sure the ration bars got to their destination.

I deflected a kunai with one of mine and hurled a poison senbon at the back of his leg.

"Watch it, Baki!" the girl shouted. She opened the fan a little more. So I could see two purple circles. "Ni no Hoshi!"

She turned and sent a gust of wind in my direction. Actually she sent it at a large branch just above my head. I didn't expect the branch to slice off the way it did. It would have crushed me like a walnut had Ibiki not acted as fast as he did.

He jumped onto my branch, wrapped an arm around my middle, and then jumped down again.

"Thanks" I mutter. He nods and jumps off to take on the puppet kid. Hayate was fighting Baki with Kakashi. Looks like I'm with fan-girl.

"Cute" she says with a near feral grin. "Lemme guess, this is your first time engaged in real combat?"

I send a senbon for the patch of exposed skin on her arm. She uses the metal part of the fan to deflect it.

"Your attempts are actually adorable." The girl said with another smile. "But you'll need to do better if your going to have a prayer of going against me"

Ibiki knocked out the puppet kid with a small explosive tag. Fan-girl turned sharply "Yashamaru!"

The kid Hayate was fighting dodged his sword. "He'll be fine, Karura! Right now we need to finish the mission!"

She nodded and opened up the fan the rest of the way. I threw senbon after senbon at her, but she kept knocking them away.

She locked eyes with Ibiki. "I'll _kill_ you for hurting my Otouto."

Ibiki's grip tightened subtly on the kunai in his hand. Kakashi jumped away from Hayate and went toward us to help.

Karura launched a wave of wind at him, and caught him in a miniature tornado. The result was enough force to knock him out against a tree trunk.

Karura sent another gust of wind at a branch above Ibiki's head. Oh shit!

I ran forward and substituted myself for the log, kicking off the trunk before I could land on my out of commission teammate.

"Takara! Behind you!" Hayate shouted.

I turned and found Baki coming at me with a kunai. I pulled one as well and we locked them together with enough force to generate sparks.

His eyes eyes are black and he's got markings on his cheeks. I can't worry about that now. This is going to turn into a taijutsu battle and fast. I'm not good with taijutsu.

But what else can I do? Ibiki's still out of it, and one of Hayate's arms has a massive cut on it. Somethings probably wrong with his legs too. He's crawling toward me, dragging himself with his good arm. Now that I look, I can see Ibiki's face is bleeding.

Baki swings his leg at me and I block it with my forearm. He keeps coming. He manages to hit my face, head, chest, and stomach before he kicks my legs out from under me and pins me to the ground with his foot. "Karura, take care of Yashamaru, I'll deal with the Konoha brats."

Kakashi is bent over a tree branch, very unconscious. He can't help me. I can hardly help myself. I am probably going to die here.

Karura jumps off to tend to her brother and Baki is about to bring a kunai down on my throat. I shut my eyes.

"No you don't, ttebane!" a familiar voice yells. I snap my eyes open just as the kunai nicks my neck. Around ten copies of Kushina-sensei come running at us. One of their foots connects solidly with Baki's jaw. "No one hurts my cute little genin and gets away with it!"

I briefly wonder how she can call Ibiki - who's already taller then her- cute. Then I hear Baki give an order to retreat. Karura re-seals Yashamaru's puppets, picks him up, and bolts with Baki on their tails.

"K-Kushina-sensei" I mutter. One of her clones pulls me up. I can see that two of them are helping Hayate and Ibiki. "Thank you"

"Don't worry about it." She murmurs. "The ration bars got to their destination and you all did really well, ttebane."

"Good" I mutter. I stand up and walk over to Hayate. Like I thought, his leg was injured. His left ankle is twisted at a weird angle.

Sensei brings Ibiki and Kakashi over and lays them on the ground next to Hayate. She crouches in front of him and hands him a stick. "Bite down on that. I need to set the bone."

Hayate nods solemnly and puts the stick in his mouth. I grab his hand, and his fingers curl around mine, accepting the gesture.

Sensei starts to push the foot back into place. Hayate tries not to scream, but I feel like he's crushing my hand. When she's done wrapping the joint in gauze he's panting and sweating.

Kakashi is waking up by now. He blinks groggily and I explain what happened as he gradually wakes up.

Kushina stops the bleeding in Hayate's arm and wraps that up too. She get's Ibiki onto her back and turns to me. "Get Hayate, he's obviously in no condition to walk."

I nod and get him onto my back. He's not heavy. The good arm is gripping my shoulders tighter then the other. He coughs and says "Thanks, Takara. "

I smile at him over my shoulder and begin to jump through the trees. "No problem, Hayate-kun."

"Hnnn" Ibiki groaned. "What the actual hell?"

"Welcome to the land of the living, ttebane" Kushina chirped happily. "They're close, so we'll be okay"

Ibiki didn't seem to have the energy to protest being carried so he just kinda held on. Kakashi went ahead and led the rest of team Minato to us.

Rin being the only medic ninja started working on Hayate, seeing as he was the worst off. Minato-sensei began to clean and bandage my wounds, while sensei looked Ibiki over for signs of a concussion.

"Your sure your okay, Taka-chan?" Obito asked worriedly. Minato-sensei finished taping bandages to the part of my neck that was cut.

"For the last time, Obito-kun, I'm fine." I say with a wave of my hand. "It doesn't even hurt all that bad anymore."

"But those Suna bastards nearly disemboweled you by the jugular!" Obito said flapping his arms dramatically.

"She wasn't disemboweled, idiot" Kakashi stated. "Disembowelment implies that the entrails were involved and that's in the stomach. A more accurate term would be 'throat slashing' or something"

"No one asked you, Bakashi!" Obito screeched.

Minato finishes up and calms Obito down simultaneously. Hayate is standing up and rotating his now healed ankle. Rin grins and informs him that he's going to be okay.

"Lets head out, kay?" Minato-sensei proposes.

We're all more then happy to comply

* * *

**I have this head-cannon for Karura where she used the same fan as Temari, and could be pretty vicious in a fight. She's like nineteen here, so just assume motherhood mellowed her out a little.**

**TTFN**

**-Scathach**


	6. Fluff chapter!

**Have a fluff chapter!**

* * *

I go to Hayate's apartment to check on him after he missed practice. His building is nice enough, and he's got a potted plant hanging above the door in a basket. I knock.

I hear a barking noise and frown. He never told us he had a dog.

When he pulls the door open I can tell that Hayate was the one making the barking noises. He looks awful.

His hair is stuck up in odd angles, he's white as a sheet, and the bags under his eyes look almost like bruises. He's wearing a big shirt and boxers and he's wheezing too.

I don't need to ask whats going on. He's really sick. When I put the back of my hand on his forehead out of impulse, I find that he's burning with fever.

"You should go to bed, Hayate-kun." I said with a frown. "if you want I could make soup?"

"You *cough* don't have to" he says. He cough/barks again and his winces tell me that it's painful.

"It's not a problem." I assure him.

"Okay" a cough racks his entire body. "Thanks, Takara."

I walk in and remove my shoes. His house is cozy in a Hayate-ish way. Several swords adorn the wall, the curtains are parted enough to let the sun in, and the couch is big and comfortable looking.

I'm glad I don't have to work at the flower shop today. I have a feeling that if I hadn't offered to take care of him when I had, he'd be dealing with that horrible cough and fever by himself.

Once Hayate is on the couch and wrapped up in a blanket I put the kettle on boil. Then I make standard chicken noodle.

I add honey and lemon to a cup of boiling water as soon as the kettle is done. I bring Hayate the bowl and mug as soon as I'm done.

"Thank you" He says with a small smile.

"Your welcome" I say sitting down next to him. "I've been meaning to make you cough drops, but for now the tea should help."

"cough drops aren't going to do much" Hayate says swallowing a spoonful of broth. "My lungs are the issue. Tou-san was a chain smoker, and after breathing all that in..."

"Oh..." I said quietly.

There was silence only broken by his spoon clinking on the glass and his coughing.

"Do you want me to pick up my DVDs of Soul Eater from my house?" I asked eventually.

Hayate looks at me for a moment. "Soul Eater?"

"Do you know it?" I ask.

Hayate shrugged, coughed, and said "Not really *Cough* is it any good?"

"It's one of my favorites. Basically it's about a school for kids who reap souls with human weapons." I explain. "The fight scenes are pretty good and it can be pretty funny at times."

"Okay" He says after another coughing fit passes.

I get up and walk to the door just as someone knocks. "I'll get it" I chirp. I open the door and find Ibiki standing on the other side.

His hands are in his pockets and he looks down at me. He's got a scar on his face now from our fight with those Suna guys "What's up? Is Hayate okay?

"He's really sick, so I made him some soup" I inform our largest teammate.

"We're gonna *cough* watch an anime, wanna join?" Hayate says from the couch.

Ibiki thinks for a moment, then shrugs. "Meh, Kaa-san isn't back from her mission and I would've been alone anyway"

I go home, get all my DVD's of Soul Eater off my shelf, and head back. When I get there Ibiki is handing Hayate a steaming mug.

I set up the TV and settle myself on the couch in the middle.

* * *

**_ *NORMAL POV*_**

* * *

Kushina was curious as to what happened to her cute little genin. Last she'd heard Takara had gone to check on Hayate and Ibiki had gone to check on Takara.

The day had been a fairly productive one. Ibiki had worked on water walking, and Kushina had been helping Takara with Taijutsu.

The Habanero couldn't help but feel she was holding back when she fought with anyone on their team. For the part of the fight she'd seen with the Suna nins, Takara had been holding her own with a boy who clearly knew what he was doing. Hell Takara hit him a couple of times. Yet for every single spar Kushina would put her in, Takara would just duck around until someone delivered a shot and made it.

Kushina was going to pound the shyness out of that girl if it killed her, damn it.

Still, everyone had been making progress. She was proud of them. In fact she was planning on treating the three of them to dinner at some point.

She figured Hayate's house was the best place to hunt for her missing team, since that's where the first one had been headed. She jumped on rooftops until she got to Hayate's apartment.

Alighting on a window cill she carefully entered. The she saw the back of their heads and an anime on the TV

She walked forward and was met with a fairly adorable sight.

All three of them were asleep. Hayate was leaning against Takara, who was leaning against Ibiki. The three of them were wrapped up in blankets and Ibiki was snoring slightly. Takara's mouth was opened a little, and Hayate had the blankets up so the lower half of his face was covered, almost like Minato's student.

"Aww" she cooed.

* * *

**Rollin in the fluff!**

**ttfn**

**-scathach**


	7. I might be a chunin

Kushina-sensei had finished pelting us with tennis balls. She and around fifteen kage bushins are trying to help us learn to dodge better. I just think sensei wanted to throw things at us.

So we're all on the ground,panting (and coughing, in Hayate's case). Sensei pats Ibiki's head. "Guess what, ttebane? The chunin exams are coming and I signed you guys up.

"I think you've guys have made real progress and are ready. 'sides Minato's brats are going and I'll be damned if mine don't show them up." She finished off with a grin.

Hayate gives a crooked grin and Ibiki smiles as well "Don't worry sensei"

I can't help but feel a little excited, despite myself.

Looks like theres a chance I could become a chunin.

...

Obito and I talk about the exams over dango, right before the time we need to be at the first part of the exam. I figured if I kept him on a short leash he might actually get there on time.

"I can't friggen wait!" Obito exclaims.

I hum in agreement.

"I can't wait to show Kakashi up in front of Rin" he says before eating another stick of dango.

This is a new development.

"what's going on there?" I ask, arching an eyebrow.

Obito blushed slightly. "heh heh, yeaaah. She's just so smart and pretty and talented and kind and just...she's great, Takara."

On the one hand I feel I should be happy that he's so happy, with just the thought of this girl. But at the same time, I happen to know she's got about as many feelings toward him as she does a particularly cute kitten.

I don't want to see him get hurt.

And I really don't give a damn how smart, pretty, talented, or kind she is. If Rin hurts Obito, then I will hurt her. Physically. Painfully. With my bare hands.

I glance at the clock on the wall of the dango shop. We've got twenty minutes. I quickly pay for the food, grab Obito's hand, and drag his sorry butt out of there.

"If you make us late, I'll poison your ass" I inform him. "No helping old ladies, people with limps, and if you see a black cat, you will suck it up."

"Yes ma'am" he mutters. "Oh wow, you look totally badass, I hardly noticed."

I beam slightly at the compliment. I put the metal part of my forehead protector on a bandanna, my hair is loose. I'm wearing a dark red v-neck shirt with sleeves up to my elbows and baggy beige pants with tons of pockets hiding everything from poison to bandages. Around my waist I've got a black belt that's holding a bunch of senbon -poisoned and non-poisoned.

"Thanks Obito-kun" I say happily.

When we finally arrive Hayate is sharpening his katana, Ibiki is reading. Hayate looks up, "Yo"

"Hi Hayate-kun, Ibiki-kun." I say with a wave of my hand. I release Obito, who waves and runs toward his team, and jog over to mine "you guys ready?"

"mhm" Hayate hums before coughing.

Kushina-sensei told us that this will be done in three parts and then told us which room to report to. The first part is inside this building, but I don't know what the others will be or even where they will be.

When we enter the correct room and I can just about feel my heart stop. Most of these people are older then us by a lot. Half dwarf me in size. It takes most of my will power, not to shuffle behind Ibiki, who'd be big enough to hide me completely.

Ibiki knows what to do. He may be thirteen, but he's big, looks older and meaner than he is, and the scar on his face adds to the scary affect. When people glare in our direction. He responds with killer intent and growls.

Hayate coughs and tells me in a low voice "Breathe, Takara. Don't let them scare you"

"I-I'll try" I mutter, staring at my feet.

A girl with purple-ish hair in a spiky ponytail bumps into me. "Watch it, kid"

Kid? She looks my age!

"Everyone sit down" a voice commands from the front of the room. I recognise the speaker as Shikaku Nara. He'll come into the flower store sometimes to chat with Inoichi-san and buy flowers for his wife. He's nice enough and he tips well.

"My name is Shikaku Nara and I'll be proctoring this exam" He informs the masses. "You will all be participating in a written exam."

There were murmurs around the place. This would be easy for team Kushina. We were all pretty confident in our intelligence. No, I was worried for Obito. He didn't test well.

I could already see him sweating bullets.

Oh dear...


End file.
